|
Glossary
of Internet Speech & Terms
|
Address:
The location of an Internet resource. An email address may take
the form of username@companyname.com.au. A web address looks
something like http://www.goanna.net.au/.
Add-in:
A mini program which runs in conjunction with a web browser or
other application that enhances the functionality of that program.
In order for the add-in to run, the main application must be
running as well.
Anonymous
FTP: An anonymous FTP site allows
Internet users to log in and download files from the computer
without having a private userid and password. To login, you
typically enter anonymous as the userid and your email
address as the password.
Applet:
A program that can be downloaded over a network and launched on
the user's computer (see Java).
Anchor:
Either the starting point or destination of a hyperlink. The
letters at the top of this page are all anchors - clicking one
takes you to another part of this page.
ARPANET:
Advanced Research Projects Network, the precursor of today's
Internet. Developed by Bolt, Beranek & Newman (BBN), the first
packet-switched ARPAnet link connected the University of
California at Los Angeles (UCLA) and Stanford Research Institute
(SRI) in November, 1969. Other Defence Contractor and research
sites were added to ARPAnet, while non-military TCP/IP-based
networks evolved independently. Eventually, ARPAnet linked with
other networks, creating the Internet. ARPAnet was formally
retired in 1990.
ASCII:
American Standard Code for Information Interchange. A set of 128
alphanumeric and special control characters. ASCII files are also
known as plain text files.
Archie:
The system used in searching FTP sites for files.
AU:
(.au) - a common audio file format for UNIX systems.
AVI:
Audio/Video Interleaved - a common video file format (.avi). Video
quality can be very good at smaller resolutions, but files tend to
be rather large.
Bandwidth:
A measurement of the volume of information that can be transmitted
over a network at a given time. Think of a network as a water pipe
- the higher the bandwidth (the larger the diameter of the pipe),
the more data (water) can pass over the network (through the
pipe).
Binary:
The system by which combinations of 0s and 1s are used to
represent any type of data stored on a computer.
Bitmap
File: A common image format (.bmp)
defined by a rectangular pattern of pixels.
Bookmarks:
A function of the Netscape browser which allows you to keep a list
of interesting sites so they may be easily found again.
Browser:
A program that interprets and displays hypertext documents.
Netscape and NCSA Mosaic are examples of browsers.
bps:
Bits Per Second, a measurement of data transfer speed.
Cache:
pronounced "cash") A location in memory where data is
stored for easy retrieval . When you return to a previously
visited site, your browser doesn't have to download the
information all over again; it can grab it from cache. From the
"view" menu "refresh" redisplays the current
document using information stored in the cache. On the other hand,
the "Reload" button actually retrieves the document from
the Internet. The size of the cache can be increased or decreased.
Increasing it the size of the cache will increase the speed with
which documents display, but it uses more of your memory.
Decreasing the size of the cache or emptying its contents will
free more memory. A good manual or guide book about Netscape will
provide more information about changing your cache.
CGI:
Common Gateway Interface, an Application Program Interface (API)
peculiar to the UNIX operating system which allows a Web server to
pass data from HTML document to a CGI script, which runs various
programs as necessary and returns resulting data for display over
the Web.
Chat:
A system that allows for online communication between Internet
users.
Client:
A software application that works on your behalf to get
information from a server somewhere on the network.
Cookies:
Name for files stored on your hard drive by your Web browser that
hold information about your browsing habits, like what sites you
have visited, which newsgroups you have read, etc. Many view
'cookies' as an invasion of privacy.
Compressed:
Data files available for download from the Internet are typically
compacted in order to save server space and reduce transfer times.
Typical file extensions for compressed files include zip
(DOS/Windows) and tar (UNIX).
cps:
Characters Per Second - characters usually referring to a single
8-bit byte of data. With start and stop bits, a total transmission
of 10 data bits is usually required to transmit a single character
or data byte.
Dial-up
Connection: A connection to the Internet
via phone and modem. Connection types include PPP and SLIP.
Direct
Connection: A connection made directly
to the Internet - much faster than a dial-up connection.
Discussion
Group: A particular section within the
USENET system typically, though not always, dedicated to a
particular subject of interest. Also known as a newsgroup.
DNS:
Domain Name Server, a two-column look-up table system of matching
mnemonic machine names such as, Goanna Internet, to their numeric
IP addresses. The tables are maintained at local, regional and
global levels by various organizations, making it easier for
people to find their way around the Internet or their LAN.
Domain:
The Internet is divided into smaller sets known as domains,
including .com (business), .gov (government), .edu (educational)
and others.
Domain
Name: Allows you to reference Internet
sites without knowing the true numerical address.
Download:
The process of copying data file(s) from a remote computer to a
local computer. The opposite action is upload where a local file
is copied to a server.
Email:
Stands for electronic mail. E-mail is a way to send messages
electronically over a computer network.
Emoticon:
A combination of characters that form a facial expression. For
example, if you turn your head sideways, the characters :) make a
smiley face, and the characters 8) make a four-eyed smiley.
Frequently used in email messages to convey a particular tone. If
you wanted to jokingly insult somebody, without starting a flame
war, you could write, "I think you are a total loser
:)".
Eudora:
A popular freeware and commercial email management program.
Exchange:
Microsoft's integrated fax and email program designed for Windows
95.
FAQ:
Frequently Asked Questions, a file established for many public
discussion groups containing questions and answers new callers
often ask.
Flame:
An insulting message exchanged via email or within newsgroups. A
series of flames are known as flame wars.
Freeware:
Software that is available for download and unlimited use without
charge. Compare to shareware.
Frame
Relay: A protocol used between user
devices (such as hosts and routers) and network equipment (such as
switching nodes).
FTP:
File Transfer Protocol, and application program that uses TCP/IP
inter networks as a medium for transferring files. You can logon
to an ftp site using an ftp program and transfer files from their
site to your local desktop using GET command. Many sites allow
ANONYMOUS ftp. At the login prompt, enter ANONYMOUS as the login
name, and at the password prompt enter your e-mail address as
password. You will have access to a limited number of public
directories from which you can retrieve files.
Gateway:
A computer system that transfers data between normally
incompatible applications or networks. It reformats the data so
that it is acceptable for the new network or application.
GIF:
Graphics Interchange Format - a common image format. Most images
seen on web pages are GIF files.
Helper
Application: A program allowing you to
view multimedia files that your web browser cannot handle
internally, such as images, audio and video files. The file must
be downloaded before it will be displayed/played. Plug-ins allow
you to actually view the file over the Internet without
downloading first.
Home
Page: The top level hypertext document
in a collection of linked HTML documents. Often, the document
implied in a WWW site's URL. For example:
http://www.goanna.net.au/ will lead you to the "home
page" of Goanna Internet, the first page that comes up on
your screen.
Host:
The name of a specific machine within a larger domain.
Hot
Java: A Web browser developed by Sun
Microsystems that takes full advantage of applets written in the
Java programming language.
HTML:
Hyper Text Markup Language, the programming language used to
create WWW pages and define the functions to be performed when one
clicks on the button, image or hypertext link embedded in the
page.
HTTP:
Hyper Text Transport Protocol. The method by which the World Wide
Web provides hypertext links between web pages, often located on
entirely different machines.
Hyperlink:
A connection between two anchors. Clicking on one anchor will take
you to the linked anchor. Can be within the same document/page or
two totally different documents.
Hypertext:
A document that contains links to other documents, commonly seen
in Web pages and help files.
ICMP:
Internet Control Message Protocol, a network layer of Internet
protocol that provides message packets to report errors and other
IP packet processing information. Commonly known as PING.
Internet:
The worldwide network of computers communicating via an agreed
upon set of Internet protocol. Odds are that if you are reading
this document, you are probably on the Internet right now (just in
case you didn't know).
IP:
Internet Protocol. The underlying packet protocol used to connect
networks over the Internet.
IRC:
Internet Relay Chat - the system allowing Internet users to
conduct online text based communication with one or more other
users.
ISP:
Internet Service Provider - the company which provides you with a
connection to the Internet via either a Dial-up Connection or a
Direct Connection.
ISDN:
Integrated Services Digital Network, an all digital telephone
system specification. Basic Rate Interface (BRI) consists of two
64 Kbps bearers or "B" data channels and one 16 Kbps
supervisory "D" channel, leading to the designation
"2B+D". BRI ISDN can deliver data to the home at speeds
up to 128 Kbps by combining the two B channels and is the only
digital telephone solution capable of using existing copper wire
to the home.
Java:
A programming language, similar to C++, created by Sun
Microsystems for developing applets that are capable of running on
any computer regardless of the operating system.
JPEG:
Joint Photographic Experts Group, a standard for compressing
digital photographic images.
KB:
Kilobyte, 10245 bytes, often generically applied to 1000 bytes as
well.
Killfile:
Found within newsreaders, a list of undesirable authors or threads
to filter out.
Knowbot:
A system for finding Internet user's email addresses via their
first and last names. Due to the rapid growth in the volume of
email users, this system is not perfect.
Kpds:
Kilo Bits Per Second, a measure of data transmission speed
indicating 1024 bits transmitted in one second.
LAN:
Local Area Network - a network of computers confined within a
small area, such as an office building.
Link:
In hypertext documents, the connection from one document to
another.
Listserv:
An electronic discussion group. There are thousands of listservs
on a variety of topics which you can join through an e-mail
account. Listserv is also the name of the computer program which
manages the listserv.
Lynx:
A popular text (non-graphical) World Wide Web Browser.
Mailing
List: A list of email addresses to which
messages are sent. You can subscribe to a mailing lists typically
by sending an email to the contact address with the following in
the body of the message: the word subscribe, the name of the list,
and your email address.
Mbps:
Mega Bits Per Second, a measurement of data transmission speed
indicating 1024 kilobits per second or 1048576 bits per second.
MB:
Megabyte, technically 1024 kilobytes or 1,048,576 bytes, often
applied to the more rounded term of one million bytes as well.
Microsoft:
the worlds largest operating system and application software
development company.
MIDI:
Musical Instrument Digital Interface - a high quality audio file
format.
MIME:
Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions, a protocol for allowing
email messages to contain various types of media (text, audio,
video, images, etc.).
Mirror
Site: An Internet site set up as an
alternate to a busy site; contains copies of all the files stored
at the primary location.
Mosaic:
One of the first graphical World Wide Web browsers developed at
NCSA.
MPEG:
Motion Picture Experts Groups, a standard for compressing digital
video images.
MODEM:
MOdulator DEModulator. Equipment that connects a computer to a
data transmission line (usually a telephone line).
Multimedia:
A combination of media types on a single document, including:
text, graphics, animation, audio and video.
Nameserver:
A computer running a program that converts domain names into
appropriate IP addresses and vice versa.
NCSA:
National Centre for Supercomputing Applications - an organisation
headquartered at the University of Illinois. Researchers here
created the Mosaic and HTTPD server programs.
Netiquette:
Informal rules of conduct on the Internet. For example, download
FAQs and read them offline; don't send e-mail to thousands of
people; and watch your tone and expression. These are simple
considerations that will be appreciated by other users.
Netscape:
Netscape is a browser for the World Wide Web and navigates the Web
by using hypertext links.
Newbie:
A new Internet user. If you are reading this definition, you
probably are one (or at least were one before you read this).
Newsgroup:
A particular section within the USENET system typically, though
not always, dedicated to a particular subject of interest. Also
known as discussion groups.
Newsreader:
A program designed for organizing the threads received from a
mailing list or newsgroup.
NNTP:
Net News Transfer Protocol, a protocol used to transfer USENET
News Groups from one Internet Site to another via Internet
Protocol.
NSP:
National (Internet) Service Provider, an ISP which services a
nationwide market with POPs in most metropolitan areas.
NTP:
Network Time Protocol, a TCP/IP protocol which allows a user's
computer clock to be synchronized with the network clock.
Online:
When you connect to the Internet, you are online.
Online
Service: Services such as America
Online, CompuServe, Prodigy and the Microsoft Network which
provide content to subscribers and usually connections to the
Internet, though sometimes limited. For instance, online services
just recently added Web browsing ability. If you spend a lot of
time on the Internet, the fees these services charge add up
rapidly.
Packet:
A chunk of data. The TCP/IP protocol breaks large data files into
smaller "packets" for transmission. When the data
reaches its destination, the protocol makes sure that all packets
have arrived without error.
Page:
An HTML document, or Web site.
PGP:
Pretty Good Privacy - an encryption scheme which uses the
"public key" approach - messages are encrypted using the
publicly available key, but can only be deciphered by the intended
recipient via the private key.
Ping:
An application program that will tell you if a particular entity
is presently connected to the Internet. Useful in diagnosing
connection problems or checking up on employees who should be
working instead of playing.
Pixel:
Short for picture element - the smallest unit of resolution on a
monitor. Commonly used as a unit of measurement.
Plug-In:
A small application which extends the built in capabilities of
your Web browser. Examples include Macromedia's Shockwave,
providing animation, and RealAudio, offering streamed sound files
over the Internet. Compared to helpers, the multimedia files do
not need to be downloaded before shown or played.
PKZIP:
A widely available shareware utility allowing users to compress
and decompress data files. Helps reduce storage space and transfer
times.
POP:
Point of Presence, in the telephone world this is the geographical
location of a particular switch or service.
POP3:
Post Office Protocol, an alternative mail protocol used to service
intermittent dialup connections to the Internet whereby mail is
held until the caller makes the connection and requests mail. Most
SLIP or PPP dialup account users will receive mail from a POP3
account using a program such as PC Eudora.
Post:
To send a message to a mailing list or newsgroup.
PPP:
Point-to-Point Protocol - a protocol for converting a dial-up
connection to a point-to-point connection over the Internet.
Frequently used for accessing the World Wide Web over phone lines.
Considered more stable than a SLIP connection.
Protocol:
A system of rules and procedures governing communications between
two devices. File transfer protocols in your communications
program refer to a set of rules governing how error checking will
be performed on blocks of data.
Provider:
An Internet Service Provider, or ISP.
Queue:
A list of email messages that will be distributed next time you
log onto the Internet.
QuickTime:
A common video file format created by Apple Computer. Video files
found on the Internet are often stored in the QuickTime format -
they require a special viewer program for playback.
Register:
With shareware, when you contact the vendor and pay for the
product, you are registering. In return, you will receive either a
password to turn off the nag notices or a copy of the full
commercial version.
Robot:
A program that automatically searches the World Wide Web for
files.
Router:
A device that connects two or more networks, such as your LAN in
Toledo and mine in Los Angeles, at the network layer.
Search
Engine: A tool for searching information
on the Internet by topic. Popular engines include InfoSeek,
AltaVista and Web Crawler.
Server:
A computer dedicated to providing specific services to client
computer. Print servers, for example, do nothing but accept store
and print out jobs sent to them by other computers.
Shareware:
Software that is available on a free limited trial basis.
Sometimes this is a fully featured product, other times it lacks
some of the features of the commercial version. If you find the
product useful, you are expected to register the software, for
which in return you will receive the full featured commercial
version.
Signature:
A personal tag automatically appended to an email message. May be
short, such as the author's name, or quite long, such as a
favourite quote.
Site:
A single or collection of related Web pages.
SGML:
Standard General Markup Language - a standard for markup
languages. HTML is one version of SGML.
SLIP:
Serial Line Internet Protocol, an implementation of IP over serial
ports/modems, usually on an intermittent dialup basis. Developed
by Rick Adams of UUNET Technologies, SLIP is a predecessor of the
Point to Point Protocol (PPP) also used for dialup IP connections.
SMTP:
Simple Mail Transfer Protocol, the most common method for relaying
electronic mail over the Internet.
Snail
Mail: Plain old paper mail.
SPAM:
Non-Internet: Delicious "meat" in a can! Internet:
Sending multiple, sometimes thousands, of unwelcome messages to a
newsgroup or mailing list to promote a commercial product or Web
site.
Subscribe:
To become of a member of. One can subscribe to a mailing list, a
newsgroup, an online service or an Internet Service.
T1:
A classification of leased telephone line service offering 23
voice channels and 1 supervisory channel or 1.544 Mbps digital
data service.
TAR:
Tape ARchive - a compression format commonly used in the transfer
and storage of files residing on UNIX computers.
TCP/IP:
Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol. The basic packet
protocol used to connect machines globally on the Internet is
referred to as the Internet Protocol or IP. The Transmission
Control Protocol (TCP) interacts with IP to provide an application
protocol interface.
Telnet:
A protocol for logging onto remote computers from anywhere on the
Internet.
Thread:
An ongoing message based conversation on a single subject.
TIFF:
Tagged Image File Format - a popular graphic image file format.
Trolling:
Deliberately posting false information in order to elicit
responses from people who really want to help. A typical response
might be, "No, Bart Simpson was NOT one of our founding
fathers."
UNIX:
A powerful operating system used on the backbone machines of the
Internet. World Wide Web servers frequently run on UNIX.
Upload:
To copy a file from a local computer connected to the Internet to
a remote computer. Opposite is download.
URL:
Uniform Resource Locator, a system of references to different
Internet sites indicating both the site and type of protocol or
application program used to reach it. Example: E-mail, ftp,
gopher, http, etc....http://www.goanna.net.au/.
USENET:
Users Network, one of the earliest networks of computers which
exchange e-mail conferences via the Internet using UUCP and NNTP.
Properly capitalized in full but often rendered as
"Usenet".
Visit:
Synonymous with viewing a World Wide Web site.
WAIS:
Wide Area Information Servers - a system of searchable text
databases.
WAN:
Wide Area Network, a network typically spanning inter-city
distances.
WINSOCK:
A Dynamic Link Library (DDL) program for Microsoft Windows that
provides a simple program interface to TCP/IP services. It has
become the model for most Windows based Internet application
programs.
WWW:
World Wide Web, a network of geographical hypertext servers linked
by the Internet offering graphics, text, sound and in some cases
video clips.
WYSIWYG:
An acronym for "What You See Is What You Get".
Yahoo:
A Web directory created by a couple of guys from Stanford who now
have more money than the entire state of Arkansas. Rumour has it
they own one business suit between them. Their site is constantly
updated and provides an easy way of finding almost any Web page.
Check it our for yourself at http://www.yahoo.com/.
ZIP:
A compressed file format (.zip). Many files available on the
Internet are compressed or zipped in order to reduce storage space
and transfer times. To uncompress the file, you need a utility
like PKZip (DOS) or WinZip (Windows).
|
.jpg)
